A Guide to Diamond Shapes Part 1
One of the most common scenarios I run into is a bride-to-be coming in with the thought that she MUST HAVE a cushion cut diamond and then she tries it on, suddenly cushions are out. I always recommend trying on a diamond shape before settling on the thought of what will look best. Let me tell you, Pinterest doesn’t exactly translate to everyone’s individual hand.
One of my favorite phrases is: “You don’t know what you don’t know”. This holds true for so many scenarios including knowing what is going to look best on your hand.
Trust me…stop browsing Pinterest and walk into a jewelry store! They’ll be happy to see you and let you try different shapes and sizes on. And if for any reason they’re not happy to see you, immediately come to Hurdle’s Jewelry because that is honestly my favorite part of the job!!
So now let’s get into the different shapes. There are a number of specialty cuts and shapes out there so I’ve split this blog post up into two separate parts. There are still more shapes to consider but going to stick to the main ones. Curious about a shape I didn’t cover? Send me a message!
1. Round Brilliant
The most popular and most common diamond shape you see in the market. The Round Brilliant Cut is faceted in a way to optimize light reflection through the diamond and in turn creating the most sparkle return possible. A Round Brilliant Cut has a total of 58 facets. They can look beautiful amongst other side diamonds or on it’s own as a solitaire. I think the Round Brilliant Cut plays well with others and can be paired next to all of the different cuts (whether it be an accented side diamond on the engagement ring, or a wedding band pairing.)
2. Princess Cut
Otherwise known as a square shape. The Princess Cut offers a similar sparkle to a Round Brilliant Cut but with corners. I don’t see the Princess Cut being picked as frequently as the Round Brilliant Cut or other fancy shapes below. The corners on the edges of a Princess Cut can be easily chipped and therefore need to be set by an expert goldsmith. Be mindful of the setting that a Princess Cut is put into in order to avoid chipping in normal daily wear.
3. Emerald Cut
A classic and timeless shape. Also known as a rectangular shape or a step-cut pattern. Emerald Cuts are absolutely stunning in my opinion. They are cut with a lot less facets than the above shapes, therefore it is crucial to step up in clarity on an Emerald Cut Diamond. With less facets, comes a much easier window to see inclusions within the diamond (whereas they can be more hidden in a Round Brilliant or Princess Cut sparkle).
4. Asscher Cut (Square Emerald)
This was a long time favorite of mine. An Asscher cut diamond can also be referred to as a Square Emerald Cut diamond from GIA. Asscher cut diamonds are roughly square in shape, but have cut corners for more light to enter the diamond. The Asscher cut was originally a patented cut by the Asscher family. You will find a step-cut pattern in this diamond creating a clean and crisp look on a ring. Much like the Emerald Cut diamond, you will likely find yourself drawn to a higher clarity grading in an Asscher simply because of the openness of the diamond’s faceting pattern. (You can see inclusions much easier in this cut of a diamond than in a faceted pattern like a round brilliant.)
5. Marquise Cut
Marquise diamonds are making a surprising comeback. I’d say their the least sought after in today’s market but there are some beautiful ways to showcase a Marquise diamond. Marquise diamonds are similar to ovals but rather than the rounded top and bottom , they come to a point. Check out this incredible Marquise diamond in our Erika Winter’s ring!
6. Oval Cut
By far the most popular shape right now out there. One could say it’s on the trendy side. I always tell brides-to-be, don’t worry about trends. At the end of the day, you will form an emotional connection to your ring and it won’t matter whether it was popular in whatever year you received it! Oval diamonds are beautiful with a faceting pattern that will sparkle in any light. The biggest thing to look out for with Ovals is the bow-tie effect in the center of the diamond, depending on the faceting and cut of the diamond, an oval can show a “dead-spot” towards the center which creates a bow-tie effect to the naked eye. In layman’s terms…it’s less sparkly so watch out for that!
Stay tuned for a part 2 to this Diamond Shape Guide! I still have a few favorites that I haven’t touched on that deserve some love! Reach out if you have any questions as well! I absolutely love talking about the education behind diamonds. I am always happy to offer my two cents on diamond details!
